Pattern and method of preparing



Nov. 5, 1935.

M. W ESTRA PATTERN AND METHOD OF PREPARING AND REPRODUCING IT Filed Nov. 6, 1931 all!!! trill iltlvillliivl //V VENTOR W55 TEA ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PATTERN AND METHOD OF PREPARING AND REPRODUCING IT Application November 8, 1931, Serial No. 573,373

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This invention relates to patterns and to a method of preparing and reproducing them, and more particularly to a method of transferring facsimiles of wood grain to any desired surface.

Objects of the invention are to prepare and reproduce patterns and facsimiles of the surface characteristics of materials, from and upon surfaces having fiat or curved contours.

Briefly, one embodiment of the invention contemplates the formation, on the surface, the grain of which is to be reproduced, of a sheet of metal byelectrodeposition, the metal plate afterwards being removed from the surface and used as a die for forming any desired number of transfer records of the grain. The pattern is then transferred from the transfer record to the article being finished, and the transfer record may be used repeatedly for this purpose.

In a modified form, the invention may be practiced by coating the surface, the grain of which is to be reproduced, with a heavy layer of wax, flowed on while molten, and allowed to cool and solidify. The wax impression is then covered with plaster of -.Paris, which, when it has set and has been removed, may be used repeatedly as a transfer record from which the grain pattern may be transferred to the article being surfaced. Instead of a layer of wax, plaster of Paris or other molding material may be applied directly to the surface containing the grain pattern which is to be reproduced, and a transfer record may bev made therefrom of any suitable material such as wax or metal, or other molding material.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one embodiment thereof, by means of which the method may be practiced, reference being had to the accompanying draw- 1118 wherein Fig. l is a plan view of a piece of wood containing a grain pattern that is to reproduced, successive steps in the process being indicated by different portions of the surface:

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a transfer pattern, showing an inked impression partially transferred to a roll;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a surface upon which a grain pattern is to be reproduced, showing the inked impression of the grain pattern partially transferred to the surface;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of that portion of Fig. 1 that shows a copper plate deposited on the surface of the wood, and

Fig. 5 is a crow-section of a piece of wood 76' ing treated by a modified method,

Referring now to the drawing, in which like numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and more particularly to Figs.

1, 4 and 5, the reference numeral indicates a piece of wood having a surface ll containing a 5 grain pattern I! which it is desired to reproduce. The piece of wood I0 is shown as mounted in any desired manner on a supporting block l8, which aids in the prevention of warping, but which may or may not be used, as desired. A portion of the 10 surface H is shown at M as being covered with a layer of graphite or other electro-conductive material. At IS, the surface H is shown as having a layer of copper over the electro-conductive material covered portion M, while in Fig. 5, the i5 block of wood in is shown witha layer of wax or any suitable molding material It applied to the surface ii.

Referring to Fig. 2, I9 is a transfer record obtained from intimate contact with the surface of the copper plate IE or the wax plate It, and having an impression 20 of the grain pattern l2, coated with transfer material. The transfer roll 22 has been rolled partially across the record I9, as a result of which an impression 23 of the transfer record impression 20 adheres to the roll.

In Fig. 3, 24 is a body of materialhaving a surface 25 on which a grain pattern is to be re,- produced. The roll has been rolled partially across the surface 25, as a result of which, a reproduction 26 of the impression 23 on the roll has been deposited on the portion of the surface 25 that has contacted with the roll.

In reproducing a grain pattern in accordance with one form of the invention, the surface ll of a body of material containing the selected grain pattern is machined and finished by any suitable method until it is as smooth and flat as possible.

It is then sand blasted or brushed vigorously with a steel or other bristled brush. The abrasive action of the brush or sand causes some of the softer portions of the grain and also foreign matter to become detached'from the surface, thereby producing depression in thesurface at the points where soft portions were removed. The surface is then covered with a thin coating of graphite or other suitable substance conductive to electricity, after which it is placed in an electroplating bath of any usual type consisting of a metal salt solution such as copper sulphate. Anodes are also placed in the tank, and the positive terminal of a source of direct current is connected to these anodes, and the negative terminal is connected to the graphite covered surface. The graphite thus serves as a cathode. anda sheet of metal is formed on the surface by electro deposition. The sheet of metal so deposited conforms exactly to the contour of the grained surface, and thus a metal negative of the grain pattern isobtained. Copper has been found to be very suitable for use as anodes, and in a copper salt solution, copper is deposited on the material.

After the metal deposited on the graphited surface has attained a desired thickness, the piece of material is removed from the electroplating bath, and the metal plate is removed. The plate is readily removable because of the layer of graphite and injury to the plate or to the piece of material need not result. After the plate has been removed, it is mounted in a press to serve as a die or matrix.

A sheet or plate of a composition similar to that of which ordinary gramophone records are made, of a size and shape to correspond to the size and shape of the copper plate, and of a sufficient thickness to be durable, is placed in the press and an impression of the grain pattern is made thereon. This composition plate may then be used as a transfer. record of the grain pattern, from which impressions of the pattern may be transferred in a manner that will hereinafter be described. As many stamped records of the grain pattern may be made from the matrix as may be desired, and the matrix may be carefully stored and additional transfer records may be pressed from it at any time. Cellulose acetate or a phe nolic condensation product such as bakelite, formed into thick sheets by any convenient process, have been found to be very suitable for receiving the impression from a matrix and for use as a transfer record.

When a grain pattern is to be reproduced, the transfer record of the desired pattern is covered evenly with a smooth coating of transfer material either in powder, paste or liquid form, the excess is removed, leaving the depressions in the transfer record filled with the transfer material. A roll of the type commonly referred to as a printer's roll or a soft transfer roll of an adhesive substance such as glue or gelatine is rolled across the loaded surface of the transfer record containing the grain pattern. Thesoft surface of the roll contacts with the loaded surface, and the material in the depressions adheres to the roll and produces thereon a faithful reproduction of the grain pattern. The pattern is then ready to be transferred to any desired surface. This is accomplished by the operation of rolling the roll across the surface. A reproduction, of the grain pattern will be deposited on the surface. It has been found desirable, while the graining material is still fresh and workable, to subject the grain pattern to a bending process. This proc s is accomplished by lightly brushing the fre y applied grain pattern with a soft bristled brush. In this way, the individual grain markings are dressed and brought to appearances faithfully resembling genuine wood grain. After the ink or paint has dried, finishing coats of any suitable material may be applied over the reproduced grain pattern.

A modified method of reproducing a grain pattern employs a selected body of material prepared as hereinbefore described, by brushing it with a wire bristled brush or by sand blasting to remove the softer portions of the grain. Molten .wax, similar to that used to make master records for voice reproduction, or other suitable molding material, is poured over the surface prepared in the manner outlined above. The molding material tortion. 4

When the molding material has entirely solidi- 5 fied it is carefully removed from the piece of.

wood. The surfacethat was in contactwith the wood will have a contour corresponding to the contour of the surface of the wood, and thus a wax negative of the grain pattern of the wood. 10

The wax negative is then covered with a layer of plaster of Paris, which is allowed to set. When the plaster has set it is removed from contact with the wax. The surface will constitute a positive of the grain pattern, and it may be 15 used as a transfer record from which impressions of the pattern may be taken with a roll, in the same manner as in the above described method. A plurality of these plaster of Paris transfer records may be made from a single wax 20 negative. Likewise, a plurality of wax negatives may be made from a single selected surface. It has been found that plaster of Paris is particularly well suited for receiving a coating of ink or pigment preparatory to taking an impres- 26 sion with a roll. It is preferable to make the plaster of Paris impervious to coating materials such as ink, paint, and pigment, by applying a protective coating such as wax or shellac, whereby the plaster is made non-absorbent to 30 these substances. An impression may then be transferred to any desired surface, in any convenient manner, such as the one herein before described. 5

Although the drawing discloses only the taking 35 of impressoins from and their application to fiat surfaces, it is to beunder'stood that the invention-is'not limited. tothat embodiment, but that the method may be practiced on surfaces having irregular contours,jand including concavity -and'40 convexity, such, for example, as ornamental moldings, and that-transfer records and transfer rolls having suitable configuratiorfi may be employed.

The foregoing description is believed to clearly 45.

define the improved methods of transferring grain patterns which the invention provides. It

is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiment described, but that it is capable of many variations and so modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A method of making a patterned printing member from a wood grain pattern which com- 55 prises the steps of removing some of the softer portions of the surface of a piece of wood, forming a permanent master record of the pattern directly in contact with the surface of the wood. and forming a working record of plastic material directly in contact with the master record.

2. A method of making a patterned printing member from a wood grain pattern which comprises the steps of removing some of the softer portions of the surface of a piece of wood, coating the treated surface of the wood with graphite and electroplating the same to produce a permanent negative master record of the grain pattern formed directly in contact therewith, and molding a positive working record of plastic material directly in contact with the master record.

3. A method of making a patterned printing member from a wood grain pattern which comprises the steps of removing some of the softer portions of the surface of a piece of wood, coating the treated surface of the wood with graphite and; electroplating the same to produce a permanent negative master record of the grain pattern formed directly in contact therewith, andmolding a positive working ,record of artificial resin directlyin contact with the master record.

4. A method of making a patterned printing member from a wood grain pattern which-comprises the steps of removing some of the softer portions of the surface of a piece of wood, coating the treated surface of the wood with graphite and electroplating the same to produce a permanent negative master-record of the grain pattern formed directly in contact therewith, and

molding a positive working record of phenolic condensation product directly in contact with the master record.

5. A method of making a patterned printing member from a wood grain pattern which comprises the steps of removing some of the softer portions 01 the surface of a piece of wood, coating the treated surface of the wood with graphite and electroplating the same to produce a permanent-negative master record of the grain pattern formed directly in contact therewith, and molding a positive working record of cellulose acetate directly in contact with the master record.

MIENT WESTRA. 

